Ranchi: Riders of an instant delivery platform protested outside the Bariatu police station on Wednesday, following the death of their colleague in a road accident. Niraj Kumar (20) sustained serious injuries in a road accident on Monday. He was taken to a hospital, where he succumbed the next day. Accusing the company of indifference, the protesters stated that no representative from the company visited the hospital to check on the condition of the deceased rider. “Niraj belonged to a very poor family. No representative from the company enquired after him when he was hospitalised. Now, the company is yet to start his compensation procedure,” Ganesh Kumar Singh, a protester, said. While the exact circumstances of the accident are being probed, the riders insisted that poor working conditions and pressure from supervisors contributed to their distress. “We work tirelessly every day, often in dangerous traffic conditions. But the company doesn’t even acknowledge when something happens to us,” said Praveen Kumar, one of the protesting riders.Bariatu police station in-charge Manoj Kumar said, “We registered a case of unnatural death and are investigating the matter. The rider is entitled to compensation or not, as per the company’s guidelines, will also be probed.”
